Catalyst, Kendall Square, Cambridge

As some of you may have heard, I have recently begun writing a weekly column for Boston Magazine's on line food edition Chowder, called Taste Test.  The premise behind Taste Test is for me to check out restaurants soon after they open, or launch a new menu, or make some other substantial change to their offering, choose a dish that best encompasses their food philosophy and report back to you all- the viewing audience.  It has been a truly wonderful experience to work with the team at Boston Magazine, not to mention collaborating with such an amazing piece of Boston culture.  Boston Magazine is awesome, truly and completely.

Last week I made my way over to Catalyst, a newly opened restaurant in Kendall Square.  Catalyst was opened by Chef William Kovel, formerly of the late great Aujourd'hui in the Four Seasons which shuttered several years ago.  Kovel's reputation from that time led him to work as consulting chef at 28 Degrees in the South End for some time, and now finally brought him to his own space- the realization of many dreams coming true.  I had the opportunity to meet with Chef Kovel last December, just as the space for Catalyst had been acquired and he was mulling chair decisions and table top looks.  I toured the empty space and he marked where each section of the restaurant would fall- the partially open kitchen, the massive bar, the conference room spaces....his vision was clear, and it was evident that this restaurant would be a treasure.  When it opened last month I was thrilled to finally get to see the reality of the space, and the creations of his menu.

We began by splitting a salad billed as:  Arugula, Endive, Asian Pear, Walnut, Berkshire Blue Cheese, Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette.  Understanding our desire to share the salad, it was delivered to our table on separate plates, making what could be an awkward venture, easy and appealing.  The salad was absolutely delicious.  Peppery Arugula and lightly spicy Endive paired with sweet pear and tangy blue cheese created a dish that touched on every flavor sensation.  The combination resulted in a crisp, refreshing salad, but which packed a full and addictive punch. This salad would end up being the star of the evening.

Next we also shared a second appetizer, the Crispy Quail, served with Black Mission Fig, Gastique, Mizuna, and an Autumn Berry Jam.  Delicate as a quail is, this was served on a single dish and we were left to divvy it ourselves.  Though I appreciated the touch on the salad, here it would have been difficult to split the quail with finesse.  Quail has a very strong flavor, similar to the dark meat of a chicken, rich and gamey.  Paired with the figs and jam the sweetness was a nice contrast, though I felt that the gastique was lost in the mix.  The mizuna, a Japanese Water Green, provided a nice relief with its peppery flavor.  Though the quail wasn't as crisp as anticipated, the dish showcased, once again, a strong suit of Chef Kovel's- layering flavor components to create "perfect bites" when all are brought together.

I dined on the Garganelli, Chicken Oysters, Bacon, and Black Truffle Butter for my main course.  I'll refer you to my thoughts found on BostonMagazine.com for the full review.

Finally, we ended the evening with the Bosc Pear Tart, House Made Crème Fraiche Ice Cream, and Candied Almonds for dessert.  Here, again, Kovel showed off his skill of layering components.  The tart itself was tender and moist, with butter and pear flavors in even distribution.  It was decadent and sweet, the contrast was brought in with the slightly tangy Creme Fraiche ice cream, and then the wonderful and satisfying crunch of the almonds.  

Catalyst is absolutely an experience.  The space is warm and welcoming, and the staff, for the most part, are knowledgeable and helpful.  Kovel's presence is felt in every dish, and throughout the space as he wandered from station to station ensuring proper execution.  Are there missteps to be had?  Absolutely, the restaurant has only just celebrated its one month birthday, however over all, it is apparent, from the moment of entry, that attention to detail is chief and that the restaurant as a whole will attempt to dazzle their patrons.     

Maharaja, Harvard Square, Cambridge

I sat, staring over Harvard Square from my perch inside Maharaja, a new addition to the restaurant scene in bustling Cambridge.  As I viewed the scene below, it was a glaringly different scene to what I was experiencing inside the restaurant.  Maharaja, opened this past spring but just receiving their liquor license a week ago, is an oasis.  Ornately decorated, and filled with the music of India, it is an atmosphere designed to make their patrons feel like royalty.  Gleaming brass, high backed carved wooden chairs, elegant touches...no detail was left to chance.  Relaxing in this beautiful space, I knew I was in for a treat.

I began my meal with the Kakori Seekh Kebab.  Ground lamb, enhanced with spices, formed into kebabs, and served over sliced red onion with lemons and a house made hot sauce.  One bite of this appetizer and I was in heaven.  The lamb was perfectly cooked, fork tender, and full of warming spices.  Every bite was full of cinnamon, ginger, and clove, and when spritzed with a bit of the lemon, the acid played beautifully into this delicate dish.  The hot sauce served with this could have been eaten plain-with a spoon.  Now that is not a statement on it's heat level, because while it wasn't initially abusive, the more that is consumed the hotter it became.  The flavor present within this sauce was the real beauty.  Slow cooked for hours, the chili's break down with vinegar and the end result is spicy and tart, a wonderful addition to the kebab.

I referred my incredibly helpful server for my entree selection as I wanted to try something as authentic as possible.  He pointed me in the direction of Murgh Wajid Ali.  Murgh Wajid Ali is a dish that is truly for royalty.  It is a Chicken breast (or a Cornish game hen (traditionally)), stuffed with chicken and nuts, topped with a sliced hard boiled egg and served with a creamy Saffron sauce.  It is the height of decadence.  Visually, this was a beautiful dish- the creamy yellow sauce, a drizzle of yogurt, strands of saffron imparting their cheerful yellow dye, and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds, their ruby beauty shining like jewels.  Taste wise, this dish wasn't too shabby either.  The cream sauce was rich and dense as expected, but was cut with a beautiful tang to add complexity.  The chicken was perfectly cooked, and well flavored.  The genius of the dish to me however, was the mix of the egg, and the stuffing.  The stuffing added perfect texture with its chopped nuts, and then the egg, smooth and creamy offset this in the next bite.  Two opposite mouth feels, creating a wonderful harmony.  

Maharaja is a perfect addition to the Boston area.  Their feel is formal, their prices are fair, and they are staying true to traditional dishes from India.  It is a combination that has been missed, and one that we can now welcome with open arms.  

The Friendly Toast, Kendall Square, Cambridge

Boston's food scene has been abuzz for months about the arrival of a much loved Restaurant from Portsmouth, NH, opening a second location just outside the Boston city limits in Kendall Square, Cambridge. A favorite of University of New Hampshire students for the past fifteen years, the arrival of The Friendly Toast in Boston means simply that Breakfast has arrived. Boston is an apparent wasteland for good breakfast, there are a few jewels out there, but they are few and far between where variety rules the menu, and appetites are truly satisfied. This new opening promised to satisfy the craving.

The new location opened Sunday, May 17th, but this past Monday was the first opportunity I had to check it out. With any new place though, there are going to be kinks to work out, and so we went fully armed for either a fantastic experience, or a terrible one.

We were told there was about a 20 minute wait when we got there, but that the line was moving a bit faster than that, pleased by the news, we put our name on the list and took a seat outside on their small patio where we were told we could have a drink. This is where the kinks began. The waitress on the patio was wonderful, sweet and helpful, but obviously the flow hadn't been determined yet for working the patio. She was mobbed half the time, and the bar inside couldn't keep up with her orders, making it easier to just wait for all beverages until actually seated. Additionally, we were given a bill for our outside tab, but it had to be paid inside, where we would also pay our inside tab, but separately. It was a bit confusing.

Our 20 minute wait did stretch beyond 20 minutes, but it was such a beautiful day that relishing the weather made it pass by much faster. Finally though inside, we set to work reading through the menu, which is unfortunately abbreviated until their kitchen is fully up to speed. I settled on Huevos Rancheros, a Mexican dish which translates to a farm dish-one that the farmers in Mexico created from what was readily available to them. It was described as two poached eggs set atop Anadama bread, with avocados, salsa, and cheddar cheese accompanied by their famous home fries. Anadama bread has been a favorite of mine since childhood, a combination of key ingredients flour, cornmeal, and molasses-it makes for a really delicious bread. When I was a child I used to toast a slice of it, and then sprinkle it with brown sugar for a snack. The Toast's version had that same beautiful flavor that molasses adds to things- and was cut into big, thick slices. It was perfect for sopping up the runny egg yolk. Overall, this was a nice dish, the flavors were good, creamy avocado with the acidity of salsa cut through, and the comfort of poached eggs. However, the salsa was almost too cold for the hot eggs and provided a really weird contrast of temperatures. And sadly, only one of my egg yolks was runny, the other was completely cooked through.

Their home fries though...they were delicious. Thinly sliced potatoes mixed with lots of spices to give them a little heat- a perfect accompaniment to the meal. Another kink though, my companions potatoes were not cooked properly, and many were still rather undercooked.

He did love the rest of his meal though, egg in a hole. Basically, a slice of Anadama bread, fried on the flat top in butter, with two holes punched out and filled with eggs that are cooked right in. The bread won him over from the start, but he ran into the same problem, one egg was runny, the other was cooked through.

I can chalk all of this up to opening kinks. The staff is only partially permanent, many of the friendly faces we saw were on loan from the Portsmouth location, only in Boston to train the new folks. We were told that the kitchen staff was the same- partially from Portsmouth. It is not surprising that the flow isn't smooth at this stage, and that there are mistakes being made.

I have to make one final note- the decor was kitsch-fantastic. Wallpaper showing off old jacket covers of The Hardy Boys series, life size dolls from the 1950's, even the tables were reminiscent of the old diners. It was fantastic to take it all in and constantly notice different quirky items on all of the tables.

I have no doubt that The Friendly Toast will work out its difficulties and become the shining jewel of Cambridge that it has of Portsmouth, NH. I cant wait to return, especially when their full menu is available. I've heard amazing things about their Pumpkin Pancakes...mmmmmm